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Moritaka Mashiro
Moritaka Mashiro (真城 最高, Mashiro Moritaka) is the main protagonist of the series, Bakuman. He is a determined high-school student trying to make a successful manga and anime adaptation before he's eighteen. He works with classmate Akito Takagi and follows the footsteps of his late, manga-ka (manga artist) uncle, Moritaka Nobuhiro who once loved a classmate (the mother of Azuki Miho) from afar, but never got the chance to tell her so and later died from overwork. Mashiro's dreams are to make a successful manga and marry Azuki. He currently works in Jump with Takagi. Background Mashiro's family consists of his manga-ka (manga artist) uncle, Moritaka Nobuhiro, his mom, dad, and grandpa. His uncle died apparently from overwork. His dad is alive but is never seen, his mom is seen throughout the story (like in the hospital) and his grandpa gives him the keys to his uncle's studio. His grandpa looks like the old man in Hikaru no Go. Mashiro is fond of a classmate, Azuki Miho, who wishes to become a voice actor. To avoid becoming like his uncle, Mashiro accidentally proposes to Azuki. She accepts, stating she will marry him after they achieve their dreams. However, they must not see each other until then. Mashiro then decides to team up with another classmate, a talented writer named Akito Takagi, and they try to get published and have an anime adaption of the series. Mashiro is a talented artist, but is highly dissatisfied with his drawings. He is often called Saikō (サイコー) by Takagi, whom he calls Shujin as they are alternate ways of reading their names. Mashiro's pen name is Muto Ashirogi. His uncle's is Taro Kawaguchi. Appearance Mashiro is a medium sized and pretty skinny character. He has long blue hair and is often found sitting like the character L Lawliet of "Death Note" (Hunchback). He tends to wear checkered long sleeves with a t-shirt inside. Personality Mashiro is brave and determined, but can be nervous at times. He is extremely shy when he sees Azuki though it seems to have lessened over time. Making a Manga with Takagi Introduction and Mashiro’s Uncle The story begins with Moritaka Mashiro, an amazing artist in High School who draws the girl he loves, Miho Azuki in his math book and Akito Takagi finds it. When Mashiro demands for it back, Takagi asks him if they want to make a manga together because Mashiro is a good artist. Mashiro declines Takagi possibly because of his Mangaka uncle. He remembered his uncle only published one gag story before he died. Also, his uncle wrote letters to the girl he loved for many years and was thinking of proposing to her once, but then, she got engaged. Then, Takagi calls Mashiro, asking him to go to Azuki's house. Upon reaching Azuki’s mansion, Takagi asks if it was true that she wanted to be a voice actor. Then they tell her about their dreams to become Manga-kas. Azuki replies by saying she wants to become a voice actor. However, Mashiro accidentally asks if Azuki will marry him. Azuki accepts, but only if they accomplish their dreams. The next day, Takagi walks with Mashiro on the way to school and asks him if his uncle was Kawaguchi Taro. Mashiro replies that Taro was just his pen name and his real name was Mashiro Nobuhiro. He died a while back; his parents believe he overworked but Mashiro says he commit suicide. Mashiro backs it up by saying he never married and was jobless for many years. In the exams, Mashiro can't think properly and asks if he can go to the nurse's office. Then Takagi also goes to the nurse. Upon seeing Takagi, Mashiro says he's been thinking of Azuki. On the roof, Takagi says that he picked him to be the artist for his manga not for his drawing skills, but for his personality. Takagi says that people like Azuki are smart because they're sensible. She has a good personality (graceful and well-mannered) rather than Iwase (another girl) who has good grades but is very arrogant. To this, Mashiro agrees to work with him because they think alike but Takagi asks if his parents are okay with this. His mom at first, does not approve but reluctantly agrees because his father doesn't mind him being a manga-ka. Then Mashiro's grandpa gives him his uncle Nobuhiro's keys for his manga studio. Takagi and Mashiro find supplies, action figures, magazines and manuscripts in his uncle's studio. Takagi takes out some manuscripts that look like drafts. Mashiro explains that you have to draw a na-me (draft with words and pictures) for the artist, rather than just writing a script. The artist will then change it and give it to an editor. First Steps Towards Manga and Azuki’s Mom Takagi and Mashiro both want to draw a masculine manga (not something weak or shojo). Takagi asks if he can study some of his uncle's na-mes. Mashiro's goal is to make an anime before they’re 18 for Azuki. Mashiro sees that his uncle was working extremely hard and apologizes to his dad for believing his uncle commit suicide. The determination of his uncle persuades Mashiro to work full-heartedly; for manga and Azuki. Mashiro finds the letters his uncle wrote to the girl he loved in a closet full of manuscripts. The last letter says that she is going to get married and that she won't write anymore after the wedding so she apologizes. Then, they find out that the girl was Azuki's mom. Takagi and Mashiro meet Azuki's mom. They tell her they are sorry for reading her letters. Then Azuki's mom admits loving Mashiro's uncle but she was too embarrassed to say anything to Nobuhiro. She believes his uncle's gag story was based on how Kawaguchi Taro felt. Mashiro tells Azuki's mom that he doesn't want Azuki to know about the letters between his uncle and her. Mashiro has been practicing to draw using some manga pens and falls asleep in the exams. He explains the three different kinds of pens he has used. G Pens: (The pen most manga-kas use) They’re very hard to use because the lines aren't consistent enough Kabura Pens: (What his uncle used) They make very good lines but make the drawings have no flavor. However, they are good for backgrounds Maru Pens: Good for very thin lines He also says that drawing still figures are easy but it's hard to make movement, expressions, and composition. Mashiro is amazed how his uncle, who didn't use G pens or white-out, became a pro in three years. For the sake of manga, Mashiro has decided to go to Yakusa North High School because it isn't the best school so he will have more time to draw. Drawing a Manga for Jump Reading in Shonen Jump, they find Niizuma Eiji who one the 2nd prize in a manga contest at the age of 15. He's praised for his artwork by judges. Back in school, they remember a kid in their class called Ishizawa who loves drawing chibi-style girls. Mashiro says once you win an award, you will get an editor. Even if you lose, an editor might like it and still accept you. However, their editors are chosen for them so they might be good or bad. His uncle once said a really good editor constantly rejected a newbie artist's work. He says because of this, it led the artist to fame. Takagi and Mashiro decide to give a manuscript not for Shonen Jump to see what their editor's opinion is. On their way to his uncle's studio, he sees Azuki. Takagi gets really shy and looks down whilst Azuki hides behind her mom. When they turned their head and saw each other, he told Takagi he felt as if they were on the same frequency. Takagi gives him a manuscript called Double Earth: The Two Earths. It’s about the Earth and people here are just clones of the people on the real earth. ‘’“We were experimented, and thanks to us, there is no war or pollution on the real Earth”’’. Mashiro thinks it's amazing and asks if they want to publish it for Jump. Takagi has another idea called Sunglass Pitcher. It's about a student who gets hit by a baseball and goes blind but appears ten years later and wins a game with a fastball. It turns out he worked hard with his father and when everyone realizes he's blind, he has to fight against the baseball association and his rivals on the pitch. However, they decide to write Two Earths for Jump by Summer Vacation. Miyoshi Kaya, best friends with Azuki at school, wants to talk with Takagi. She's angry because she told Takagi what Azuki wanted to be when she grew up and Takagi asked Azuki if it was true. When Miyoshi leaves, Takagi says he loves her (I think). Miyoshi goes back to Azuki. Azuki thinks Takagi likes Miyoshi because she's cute, unlike Iwase whose stuck-up. Miyoshi also wants to find out who Azuki likes. She asks Azuki but she gets really embarrassed and says she's really self conscious and blushes when she sees boys. Meanwhile, Takagi and Mashiro are working really hard on their manga. They finish on 28/08/2008. They decide to bring over the manuscript to Shueisha (Manga Company) tomorrow. Also, Niizuma Eiji's Tezuka Award for Large Bander gets published into Jump. Volume Two Akamaru Jump Mashiro and Takagi make a one-shot (50-page first chapter), Money and Intelligence for Akamaru Jump, which eventually gets published to the magazine. It is their first manga to be published. Each of the magazine's stories are rated and they get first place in the early results, but they only get third place in the final (real deal) results. After the drop in the ranking for the manga, Mashiro and Takagi decide to make a manga that is more mainstream (current trend), as opposed to going for a cult hit. Editing Crow Chapter 5 Volume Three Breaking Up Golden Future Cup New Year's Party At the New Year's Party, Mashiro and Takagi are introduced to many mangakas. Some of them are new artists just like Mashiro , for example Hiyamaru and Arai (Who made Otters11 and Cheese Okaki respectively). After dinner and bingo, Mashiro says to a board member that his goal is to make a popular manga that can get no.1, unlike his uncle. Detective Trap's Serialization Moritaka has been working extremely hard while Detective Trap is being serialized. He has been getting less and less sleep and he finally collapses. He was taken to the hospital after that. He is diagnosed with a liver infection which requires surgery. Mashiro wants to keep working while he is in the hospital so that the Trap won't have to go on hiatus, whereas everyone else believes that his first priority should be to get better. Mashiro tries to convince Takagi to bring him his materials, but Takagi decides to call Azuki to see if she can convince him to stop working. Azuki goes to the hospital the next day and begins talking to Mashiro from outside his room. Volume Four Hospitalized Ayuki asks which is more important; manga or her. Mashiro says manga. He is determined to continue drawing manga in the hospital, even though he is not allowed to until his health improves. Eiji, Takagi and Mashiro's mom go to the hospital. Once they leave, their editor comes in and requests him to stop. He says the head has put them both on hiatus. However, when he comes in, he says he will be putting them on hiatus till they graduate from high school (even after they come out of hospital) because of his uncle who died from working too hard on manga. Two of Me, Hitman10, and Future Watch Two of Me, Hitman10, and Future Watch are all stories that Takagi and Mashiro make up. Two of Me and Future Watch are two series they want to write for their editor; one of them comedy and the other one serious. Their editor wants them to write a comedy but Takagi is reluctant because comedy isn't his strong point. They also decide to make a one shot for Manga Treasure which will be judged by Eiji Two of Me Two of me is, as the title suggests, are about two of the same people. They can't decide which one is the real one so they agree that one of them should go to a different environment. That way, they will be different. They drop a pencil and the person it points has to leave. Future Watch The son of an inventor father makes watches that travel to the future. Apparently, if you push the switch on the watch that is set 7 minutes ahead, then you will travel 7 minutes into the future. The son tries it and calls himself from 8 minutes ago. He tells him that he can travel to the future by using the watch. Takagi wants to add battles to Future Watch. As for Two of Me, he wants to make a fantasy world. Hitman10 The final manga they come up with is a gag manga. Hitman ten is about the top ten hitman fighting each other to become number one and receive a billionaire's prize. They main character is one of these hitman. Manga Originally, Mashiro and Takagi work on a cult manga (money and intelligence), but they then plan to make something more mainstream, so they begin work on a detective manga called Detective Trap. It is first submitted for the Golden Cup competition in Weekly Shōnen Jump where it tied for first with Kyoshi Knight. Later it is chosen in the first serialization meeting after the competition for Weekly Shōnen Jump. Its first chapter got third place, its second chapter got 8th place, and its third chapter got 9th place, but after that, it started getting better results. Trivia *He sometimes sits like L Lawliet *He has blue hair Category:Male Characters Category:Manga Creators